Last-Minute Gift Ideas for Foodies, Marketers and the Social-Savvy

Let’s face it: there are few things more frustrating this time of year than frantically searching for a gift for someone who is just plain “hard to buy for.” Well friends, rest a little easier if you have a foodie, marketer or social-savvy loved one left on your list, because we have a few great gift recommendations to relieve a bit of that unnecessary holiday stress!

Last-Minute Gift Ideas

Gifts for Marketers

Nowadays—as you know all too well!—the term “marketer” encompasses way more than just those professionals who work in advertising or promotions. And especially for fresh, marketers tend to be people who are purpose-driven, goal-oriented and dedicated to growth, with a true alignment to the brands they are serving. Why not tailor your gift to those passions?

 

This is Marketing by Seth Godin

If you’ve been a reader of The Core for very long at all, then you have certainly heard about Seth Godin, one of our favorite sources of marketing inspiration. So from our perspective, there are few better ways to surprise a growth-oriented marketer than by gifting a motivational, thought-provoking “roadmap” on marketing. Why we love it: Seth teaches by encouraging readers to view marketing through a new lens, and his work inspires new and different ways of thinking about marketing activities and services.

 

Digital Smartpen and Notebook

For those of you who haven’t yet heard of a “smartpen,” it is emerging as the easiest, most efficient way to take notes. How it works: as you write in the notebook, it records and transfers text electronically—that’s it! Ever heard of Evernote? Well, it syncs to that as well: talk about a one-stop shop for organized notes! Lastly, if you aren’t a fast writer, rest assured, because this handy-dandy little pen has a voice recording option as well.

 

Noise-Canceling Headphones

Let’s get real for a minute: especially during the busy seasons (like leading in to Fresh Summit, for example), you can’t put a price tag on peace and quiet!

 

Subscription to a Streaming Music Service

And speaking of all things audio: it’s hard to go wrong with purchasing your favorite marketer a one-year subscription to a music-streaming or audiobook service. Between Spotify, Pandora and Apple Music—and Audible, or these other 30 podcast streaming options—there’s an option for everyone out there.

 

Gifts for Foodies

You may count as a “foodie” if you have a very keen interest in and enthusiasm about food. You don’t just “eat to live” because you’re bored or hungry—you’re more likely to “live to eat” because food represents one of your passions. Foodies tend to have a creative way of viewing and eating food, so think outside the box and gift something new and exciting!

 

Cooking Classes

When buying for a foodie, you can’t go wrong by helping them continue broadening their food knowledge and cooking smarts. What better way to do that than to gift a cooking class (or three)? Even better: there are many different options to choose from. From cooking classes led by local chefs to classes hosted by award-winning culinary powerhouses—and everything in between—this present makes for an experience your favorite foodie will always remember.

 

Sous Vide Machines

Sous Vide machines, billed as the latest and greatest approach to cooking meat to perfection, have taken the internet by storm this year. The method may take a little bit longer than the usual trip out to the grill, but buy your foodie friend a sous vide and you are guaranteeing them some of the freshest, juiciest meat they’ve ever had.

 

Air Fryer

If you aim to take the guilt out of frying this Christmas, an air fryer is an excellent choice. Air fryers use hot air (rather than hot oil) that circulates around the food at high speeds, which allows for that crispy layer. Recipients of this gift will get to indulge…without worrying about the health impacts of indulging in “true” fried food—double-plus!

 

Herb Keeper

We can’t speak for everyone, but we hate buying fresh herbs and then struggling to keep the unused half of the bundle fresh once we complete a specialty recipe. Enter: the herb keeper (or herb saver). It not only gets the job done, it also serves as cute kitchen decor, as many herb savers resemble vases. 

Gifts for the Social-Savvy

Let’s face it: we all have one or more family members or friends who is heavily invested in their social media presence. Whether they are a seasoned influencer or are simply working to build an online following, having the right tools is key. Check out the list below for a few relevant gift ideas for the social-savvy people in your life:

 

Tickets to a pop-up museum

Influencers love to be “in-the-know” about local activities, so they will love tickets to trendy pop-ups in town that they can visit and share about. And as all you marketers know, images with people in them perform better on social media, so be sure to take lots of photos of them at the event to help garner tons of engagement. (One of our personal favorites is the Museum of Ice Cream. Come on, who can resist a sprinkle pool?)

 

Camera bag

Most likely, the social media-minded people in your circle will already have the whole camera thing handled, but why not help protect their investment? Think outside the box and find a camera bag that will not only protect the camera, but also has room for other goodies inside. (Pro-tip: Stylish versions are greatly appreciated, since camera bags are notoriously known for being a bit…well: clunky and unattractive.)

 

Gift cards to local trendy restaurants or coffee shops

Part of an influencer’s role is to try new places and new things. If you know of a new, trendy spot (or one of those staple best-kept secrets in your area), snag a gift card there so they can give it a go—and post the results!

 

High-quality planner

Lots of planning goes into an influencer’s role, so gifting a high-quality planner is a smart gift selection. (Bonus: Fun planners that include sticker labels and beyond-the-basic scheduling options can help them plan their brand deals and foodie trips, along with all the required follow-up that comes with the job.)

 

We know it’s no one’s favorite activity to brave hordes of holiday shoppers, but we hope we made the process a little easier by taking some of the guessing out of your gift-giving this season!

 

Thank you for reading The Core this year, and stay tuned for more from the DMA Team in 2020!

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